Allegations against RN-what would you do?

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2 CNAs and 1 LPN wrote false allegations against me and turned it into the DON. Just a week prior, I had finished and gave evaluations to 8 co-workers, CNAs and LPNs. All of them got overall great evals, with exceptional and outstanding marks. I made great comments on their strengths. I wrote for one CNA the need to improve on attitude during shift change (not to yell and argue at previous shift ). 2nd CNA, made comment that she needs to improve on teamwork. I made a comment to an LPN that she needs to get her regular duties done before the shift is over (she tends to do her homework half the night and BS with her co-workers). All three still got over all great reviews.

The false allegation by all 3 is that I do not answer alarms, but instead go get them to answer the alarms. That is not true. I have never refused to answer an alarm. In fact, I am the one who usually gets there first. The DON wrote me up. I told her they lied. She said no they did not because several of them turned in the same statements. I was told by upper managment that this would probably ruin my career. For over 10 years, I have had great reviews and no write ups as a manager of my shift.

I keep witnessing the staff I manage to not give good care, ie. sit around, start their rounds late, not answer alarms or lights in a timely manner, not finish their rounds(ever though they say they do). I am in fear of writing them up because I know they will write false statements against me again. These same co-workers tell me that I am the best charge nurse they have ever had. To me this is a crazy situation I am in. I am looking for a new job.

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if these allegations are truly false, and i believe you, then i would be giving my notice and going elsewhere, there are always people trying to hurt others and it is probably because you DO your job, good luck and get out ASAP!!

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Yes, it is true. No good deed goes unpunished. Your DON, not you (or even the LPN and CNAs) is the one who has the problem. She is out of touch. She does not support you, her RN Charge Nurse. To use a male analogy, your DON has effectively "emasculated" you as a supervisor, yet you will be held accountable for these others? Don't think for one minute that the whole facility does not know that you can not do your job because your hands have been tied. Do not stay there one minute longer than necessary. If I were you I would take the first job offer. It is quite common that the person who is actually doing their job, is the one who gets reamed and you, from your description, are a good example. Good luck.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

As distasteful and unfair as this incident seems, don't worry. It won't ruin your career. Do you know how many nurses get fired from one facility only to be loved in their next job? Do what you know is right.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU.

I am surprised that they did not investigate the situation further. The upper management just sent out a clear message to the staff on your unit...one that says anyone can make false allegations about anyone and that person being accused will be written up. That leads to many problems....people making false accusations....people getting written up for frivolous reasons...great workers losing their jobs because of a simple conflict with a coworker.

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I am surprised that they did not investigate the situation further. The upper management just sent out a clear message to the staff on your unit...one that says anyone can make false allegations about anyone and that person being accused will be written up. That leads to many problems....people making false accusations....people getting written up for frivolous reasons...great workers losing their jobs because of a simple conflict with a coworker.

I second that. One of the last jobs I worked before going to school, I was working with a co-worker, and we hit it off right away....until she found out my salary was about 20% more than hers. Then she made a daily task of making up anything and everything to my supervisor, and I was in defensive mode all the time...despite the fact when certain things could be investigated...it was discovered my co-worker was lying...do you think they said anything to her? NOPE!

When I realized my own boss didn't believe me I left. When she set up a meeting with another higher up on my last day to ask me to stay, offered more $$, etc...I said, "Well, since everyone was listening to 'Vicki' and I've been constantly counseled on accusations she has made, I'm really shocked you would want such a substandard employee to stick around."

That ended the meeting. I smiled all the way home.

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Thank you for your support. It is so difficult to face these co-workers night after night knowing they did this to me. Especially since they all keep neglecting certain areas of patient care and act like their doing nothing wrong. There is one particular CNA who is constantly a bully type. The DON thinks she is a great worker, but only for the last few months. Prior to that, the DON constantly told me she could not stand her, that this CNA drove her crazy. I found out 2 days ago, this bully CNA is secretly recording her co-workers. She plays it back and thinks it is so funny.

Yes, I am looking for a job. I want to desperately work with people who act professional on the job. I know once I turn in my notice, they will want to know why I am quiting and they will want to throw me a going away party during the night. I do not want to participate in any going away party. I am still angry, frustrated and hurt by what they did to me.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.

Recording persons w/o their knowledge is a felony in many states, and misdemeanor other places. This issue needs to be addressed.

The facility also could have a porblem with HIPAA if there is confidential info on the tape and it is being removed from the facility or otherwise misused.

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Specializes in nursing home care.

It's just another case of tittle-tattle. We had a nasty disciplinary case once which resulted in nurse being given final warning, carer who made allegations being given final warning (she walked off the floor mid-shift before making the allegations), and the carer who made the allegation being pissed off at being disciplined herself so much that she accused management of breaching confidentiality (which had been breached by her so called friend). If only people could reflect on their pwn actions and see the wider picture.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.
It's just another case of tittle-tattle. We had a nasty disciplinary case once which resulted in nurse being given final warning, carer who made allegations being given final warning (she walked off the floor mid-shift before making the allegations), and the carer who made the allegation being pissed off at being disciplined herself so much that she accused management of breaching confidentiality (which had been breached by her so called friend). If only people could reflect on their pwn actions and see the wider picture.

I like your point of view.

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I would leave.

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Specializes in Palliative Care, NICU/NNP.

Kasi,

I just left my job in a similar situation. With all the shortage of nurses, they take the word of an aid or whomever and don't even want to hear the nurse's side of the story.

Nurses are being tossed around and out over things that can be worked out. Nurses eating their young, politics, whatever. It's demoralizing.

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